Key facts
- Gu Songfen, an aerodynamics expert, died at 96.
- He was the chief designer of China's J-8 fighter jet family.
- The J-8 was China's first home-grown supersonic fighter jet.
- Gu was an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
- He was a researcher at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
Gu Songfen was a pivotal figure in China's aviation industry, known for his contributions to the development of advanced fighter jets. His work on the J-8 was crucial for China's defense capabilities, particularly in countering high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft.